A Very Xin Christmas
by Rogue Pandamonium
Summary: This is a collaboration written for an event/challenge for Xin RPB Public High School #259. Two students have been assigned to take care of a local orphan for a class, and have to put up with the kid and each other for 5 days. Credit: lifepoint1 dot com
1. Introduction

A Very Xin Christmas: Collaboration

**Disclaimer:** Xin does not belong to us, it belongs to Steve and Max _(www dot lifepoint1 dot com)_ however these characters DO belong to us, and we are very proud of them. (For more info about them, visit the listed link below, as they are actual developed role-playing characters based off the Xin series, wheeee~)

**Author's Note: **This story really doesn't have many actual Xin elements in it, as it is a collaboration for a festive event for a Xin roleplay: Public High School #259 _(www dot phs259 dot proboards77 dot com)_. Check it. Word. Also, the formatting may look a little weird at first, with the speech in paragraphs like that, but this is because the collaboration was done over instant messenger and formatted into a story. Think of it as switching points of view. He says, she says, he sees, she sees, etc.

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**A Run-Down of the Characters (Who we own :D):**

_Olesya Van deBogart: _17 years old, short-punky brunette and violet hair, hazel eyes. Has three siblings and lives with them and her parents in a converted firehouse. Mom owns a florist/cafe business and father is a sponsored mountain climber. She is currently a "pillar" of the school with the title "Varsity Captain." The pillars are the student hierarchy of the school and the varsity captain runs the sports teams and sport-like extracurriculars. Met Unfettered in the skate park where he incidentally broke her skateboard and caused a fight. She refers to him as "Nazi boy" because of his eye patch.

_Jonathan "Unfettered" Winters: _17 years old, long white hair, grey eye (other covered with and eye patch that usually has a swastika on it). Unfettered is German, speaks both German and English (with an accent), and he owns his own restaurant. It is currently under renovations because of a large fight that broke out, causing a lot of damage. He is currently a member of the inactive SHCP (an organization created by the School Supervisor in opposition of the student hierarchy) and has started his own gang called the Militia, though has been roped into supporting the interim School Captain (highest student hierarchy position) in lieu of student uprisings and hierarchy vacancies.

"_Maddie":_ 5 years old, red hair, brown eyes. The teens' ward for the week, and resident orphan.

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**A General Summary:**

_Taken from the Site – Thanks to Marianne_

It's Christmas and Miss Clavering (PHS 259 teacher) is back! Unfortunately, being assigned to one of her classes, she picks YOU to help out on a nearby orphanage during Christmas Vacation.

She tells you to take one child home for a week. You're going to be the mother/father/sister/brother of these young children -- so take care of them well! It's an opportunity to have a reality check on parenthood, so take it!

After all, you'll get a hefty grade when school comes back!

...

Olesya and Unfettered, having last met when he broke her skateboard and she kicked his butt, are unaware that they have to work together on this. So faced with a 5 year old, their animosity, five days, and Christmas, you can just imagine the Christmas cheer going around!


	2. Day One

**Author's Note:** Since this is a collaboration (written between two people) rather than a straight-forward story, there are a lot of "Speak speak speak." (enter) 'Speak speak speak' "Oh well, speak speak speak." Sort of things. Like, repetition. So to keep things simple, everything I wrote is in italics and everything my friend Mikey wrote is in regular formatted font.

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_Christmas was a time of charity, and though Olesya's family (primarily her mom) did small acts of charity by bringing flowers to the hospital once a month, this one was one of Olesya's favorites. The local orphanage was filled with children with no proper families, and the Van deBogart's began a tradition once Melody left for college to take in one of the kids for a week and give them some Christmas cheer (and a home cooked meal). This year Olesya was going by herself since her mom and dad were both working today. In her hands she held a small teddy bear and a candy cane, a bright smile on her face. Her short brown and violet hair was pulled back in a barrette and her jeans didn't even have holes in them...! Skipping up the steps to the building, she pushed through the double doors and made for the office to receive her child._

Of course "Unfettered" was participating in this. The school called him forth to do it, and in its support, he would---and satiate his own secret desire at the same time. He cloaked in non-combative clothes for once, his body finally healed from its withdrawal. A white-buttoned long-sleeved shirt, and his usual scarf around his neck, followed by jeans. In his right hand, however, was a black suitcase, made in Germany, and holding several sets of goodies and treats. His other hand, he kept pocketed, for while it snowed rarely in California, it was, at the very least, still cold. He'd love it to snow sometime, but that was a wish for another time. In turn, he walked on, with a normal black eye-patch, and headed into the office, smiling quietly, his hair pony-tailed appropriately to make himself more presentable. Shouldering lightly into the double doors, he made his way in---to spot the back of someone he'd rather not see.---He really wasn't in the mood to deal with her right now, so, he just stepped up to her side, to the desk, to confirm who he was going to be rooming with, and who he'd be taking care of this fine December.

_It was rather cold today, typical of the season, and even the building they stood in had a bit of a draft, Olesya put her hands into the pockets of her poufy light blue vest, her arms covered in a warm black long sleeved shirt. As she stepped up to the desk, she noticed the sign in sheet was different this year, and after a moment of staring at it, she looked at the woman at the desk. "This doesn't seem to be right, the last two years my family has just come to pick up a child for the week...what is this?"_

_As she spoke, her peripheral vision caught sight of someone walking up next to her, he appeared to be some sort of business man from the side view so she didn't give him any mind. The woman behind the desk smiled jovially before speaking in a voice that made Olesya think the woman was talking to a class of kindergärtners. "We are trying something new this year, thanks to your teacher Ms. Clavering. A social experiment of sorts. You will be paired up with another class volunteer and will work together with the selected orphan for one week. The complex down the street has offered up its vacant apartments for this, which was *very* kind of them. Oh! Here he is now. Miss Van deBogart, Mister Winters.."_

_...Winters?! Olesya looked over at what had been a business man to find the white haired boy from the skate park. 'He cleaned up well-ah!' She shook her head, looking at him in disbelief. Hair pulled back, Nazi-free eye patch, dress shirt, no giant hammer...he looked very, well, different. "..."_

For a moment, the German was frozen. He stared directly in front of him. But the reality was there, waiting for him. Squinting his eyes painfully, he slowly turned his head... Yup. It was her. Yup. They were partnered up. "...Ach, um Gottess Willen..." he'd mutter, pissed off at himself. Bending down to put down the briefcase, he'd slowly look at the woman at the desk, smile lightly at her, in spite of how much he hated her right now, and quickly signed his name to confirm the process. He wasn't going to wimp out or complain (much) but it didn't mean he had to force himself to enjoy it. Passing the sign in sheet to... what was her name again? Oh heck, he'd know it soon enough. That done, he'd go to pick up his briefcase, and stand tall, perhaps a bit more rigidly than usual.

_Whoa, Frosty McFrostpants. Olesya quirked an eyebrow as he pushed the paper to her. He looked almost as if he was going to be sick, all rigidy and I-have-a-briefcase. Odd how Nazi Boy turned into Corporate Ken, but whatever, she would have enough time to prod him about it later. And entire week to (good lord.) Picking up the pen, she signed her name in a flourish and handed the paper back to the woman, who again smiled very jovially. "Marvelous, now I will lead you to the recreation room where you can choose your ward for the week, dears."_

_Moving out from behind the desk, she exited the office and shuffled down the hall to the last door on the right. Glancing at Nazi-Corporate-Awkward-boy awkwardly (this was going to be a great week), she shoved her hands in the pockets of her vest and followed the woman down the hall. Once she stepped into the room though, her mood lightened. About a dozen kids were currently in the room playing, their ages ranging from about 5 to possibly 10 or 12. Smiling, she watched them play, half-forgetting that she would have to watch one of them with the boy who broke her skateboard. Winters. Frosty. Ice boy. "Well?" The secretary woman asked them._

Following after the girl who was following after the woman, "Unfettered" let his eye stray around---at the walls and decoration. Nearly to be blinded by the amount of energy that the kids had in their room. A lump rose in the German's throat, as he looked at them. Smiling, playing... a home to which they could cherish each other. And a chance to give someone a chance he never had. For a moment the German had forgotten his beef with the girl (to which, aside from a show in humility and his own embarrassment, he didn't know why, he just disliked her...), he knelt down to get a better look at them all. He considered... "...Maybe... a fraulen, a girl?" he'd say, almost to himself. Though why a girl and not a boy...?

_Fraulen. Girl. The boy and his German...placing her hands on her knees, she lowered her height slightly to watch th other children, taking in their personalities, their dispositions, to see what one she would want to care for for a week. A little girl who had been coloring on in a book on the floor walked up to the teens and the secretary, a doll in her hand. Her hair was red and her skin was fair with a smattering of freckles on her nose. She pointed at Olesya and asked, "Is your hair purple?"_

_The pillar smiled warmly at her, "Yes, it is."_

_"Purple is my favorite color!"_

_Olesya laughed, crouching down so she was eye level with the little girl. "It's mine too. What's your name?"_

_"Maddie."_

_"What a lovely name, nice to meet you, Maddie. My name is Olesya." This girl was too precious for words, and she looked to Nazi-boy, to see what he thought._

As if by magic, a girl came forth. A little red-head, with a doll. Instantly she began to familiarize herself with his compatriot---Why was her hair purple?---The excitement and laughter that sprung up from the instant chemistry developed between those two tugged at something in the German. And here is where the German confirmed both names. Maddie and... Olesya. In spite of himself, the German smiled warmly, though with closed lips, wishing for a moment he'd left some of his hair to cover up his eye-patch, lest it scare Maddie away. Sort of crouch-walking to them in an awkward manner, the German rested one of his knees on the ground, and both hands on top of his knees. "Hallo zar..." he'd begin a bit softly, just in case, so as not to startle either of them. "I'm Jon. Nice to meet you, Maddie... how old are you?" The German didn't know it, but his voice was already painted with endearment and warmth. The little girl had already stolen his heart.

_Jon? Well that was a new name. Unfettered, pft, please. This boy was all sorts of mystery rolled up into one big ball of whatever. But in talking to the girl, Olesya could see the frostiness melting away, it was really interesting to watch. The pillar kept quiet, watching at he now spoke to the girl. Maddie blinked, taking in the boy, sizing him up with her little eyes before tottling over to him. She looked at him curiously for a moment before raising a hand to point to and gently poke his eye patch._

_"Are you are piwate, Jon? Jonny?" Her interest in his appearance making her forget about the question he'd asked. The secretary frowned, her hands set on her hips. "Maddie, don't be rude. She just turned five in October."_

For once, the German was honestly scared. Very, very scared. Scared that Maddie would get frightened by him, shriek or some other unsavory effect---*Poke* o_x---'_Are you are piwate, Jon? Jonny?'_ The German hadn't laughed this hard in a while. He fell back, holding onto his stomach, dropping the suitcase to his side, as the secretary went onto answer for Maddie with a '_Maddie, don't be rude. She just turned five in October.' _But the German was still laughing, though not as wildly, rolling a bit forward 'til he could hold out his hand to take hold of hers. Stifling his own laughter, and ignoring the secretary. "Arrr... That I be, matey! Vould you care to join me on my ship vith First Matey Olesya for a piratey Christmas?"---He had to hold himself back from scooping her up into his arms and hugging her to himself, he was so taken by the child. But he looked over to Olesya to check if she was alright with Maddie also---and to check to be sure that he wasn't acting like too much of an overenthusiastic retard in front of everyone. Not that he'd care, but... he'd kinda... tone it down so as not to make Olesya not feel too uncomfortable.

_Olesya quirked an eyebrow as Winters, Nazi-boy...Jon, started laughing. And not just a general laugh , but a full out, stomach grasping laugh that toppled him off of his feet. Needless to say Olesya was stunned, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly. This was like nothing she had seen from him before, and hardly anything she expected. The corners of her mouth turned upward though, as his laugh was a positive one, though when the secretary spoke up, Olesya felt a tinge of embarrassment, because the woman had been talking about poking at other people appearances. But...Na-Jon didn't seem to mind, and in fact picked up a pirate accent (a German pirate accent?) and played along. It was now Olesya's turn to laugh, as the absurdity of it all. Olesya covered her mouth, stifling her laughter but even then she laughed for a good minute before turning back to them with a post-laugh sigh and grinning. "Arrgh, a fun-filled, piratey Christmas indeed! What say ye, lass?" She held out the bear and candy cane to Maddie, who squealed and took them in her small arms, dropping the doll. It hadn't been hers anyway, but one that she liked to play with in the rec room, imagining that it were hers only to play with in a house all her own. But now she had a bear! And candy! And fun people!_

_"Okay! Lessy-uh. Jonny. Yes pwease!"_

"Zen ve'll be kidnappin' und inducting ya as an honorary Christmas pirate!" The German said with increasing rapt enthusiasm. For this girl, it felt to him that both Olesya and himself could put away their issues (or at least his with hers) for the time being. Getting down on both knees, he offered his back to the girl, using his hands as 'steps' for the girl to climb up on, and give a strangle hold to his neck. If she did climb onto his back, he'd prop her to sit on his left arm, and pick up his briefcase effortlessly with his right hand. Right now, he had the chance to give this girl a family. Right now, he could forget that he was supposed to be some mysterious, purpose-driven Nazi. Right now, he could love someone else and even love himself for her sake. It was... refreshing.

_Making a delighted sound, Maddie nearly tackled her new white haired friend as she climbed up onto his back, holding onto her new teddy by the arm. Olesya climbed back to her feet and brushed herself off, looking to the secretary woman as they had made their choice. The woman smiled and handed Olesya a key with a round wooden key chain on it with '201B' printed on it. "If you leave this building to your right, right before the corner is the complex. That is your apartment number. The place will already have enough food and house hold items for the week, so you don't have to pay for anything yourselves. They were donated by the food cupboard since you are doing a charity for these children. These is an officer on patrol in the building all week, and make sure you bring her back before dark Christmas day. You will also have a chance to go and get your things for the week, but one person must stay with the child at all times. Good luck!" And with that she ushered them to the door. The woman moved to the wall where a dozen little duffel bags lined up against the wall. They were each of the childrens things: clothes, toothbrush, necessities, all packed up and ready to go. She picked up the one belonging to Maddie and handed it Olesya (as Jon was busy with Maddie and his briefcase), waving them off and out._

"Oof!" a bit taken aback, but laughing lightly nonetheless, he supported Maddie on his back easily, moving his back around to make her "stay" on him as pleasant as possible. Cajoling Maddie lightly as Olesya and the secretary took care of the rest of the business, he was off muttering random, silly things, but listening to the secretary still. "Yarg... I've already some booty in mein briefcase!" egging her on lightly, as he shook his briefcase lightly.---Though, out of the corner of his ear, he was more then a little happy to hear that the accommodations had already been provided for. As they walked on out. Admittedly, he felt slightly guilty for snatching up Maddie for himself, for the time being, but...---Well, he didn't want to admit that to himself just yet. Still, he looked onto Olesya. "Arrrrg... So, First Matey, whar be ye taking uz, oye?"

_Honestly it was refreshing to see...Jon, his name was Jon (she certainly couldn't call him Nazi-boy in front of the kid!) showing a different side than the one she had met at the skate park. It was almost like he was a completely different person, and she was glad to think that her first impression was wrong. As he addressed her, still toting the cheesy pirate accent, she grinned, shaking her head. "Just a quick jaunt down the pier, to our humble pirate abode!" She wasn't as good at the whole pirate lingo thing, but she did her best. The walk really wasn't that far, and it made sense that they didn't want them clear across town. 201B...probably on the second floor._

_Skipping up the steps once they'd reached the building, Olesya held open the door for Jon and Maddie since he had his hands full before heading to the stairs. "Methinks it be on higher ground." Ok...so it came to her a little better than she thought, but it wasn't at all what she thought it would be in the first place. The place was nice, rather new (hence the numerous vacancies), and nicely up kept. Soon they reached the door, and with a turn of the key, she let the door fall open. "Thar she blows!"_

"Who-hoah!" he roared out... perhaps a bit over enthusiastically. It'd been... a trip making sure Maddie didn't fall back down as he rushed up the stairs, a bit recklessly. But it was at the opening of the door to the place that he almost lost his composure and his 'additional' accent. "...Goodness... gracious, its... quite a ship we've come across, aye?" He'd begin a bit weakly. It wasn't in his nature to do things with other people's property, nor with such freedom, but this all was essentially theirs. For a person with so much conformity dictating his life, he was at an odds and means, yet the recent push he had given to his life... Well, he jostled Maddie on his back a bit, looking back and grinning. "Let's have a looksie, shall we? Und a danke to ya, First Matey Olesya." he added with an appreciative grin. But only for a second. With that, he'd step right on in, somewhat sorta jumping dramatically...

_Stepping in and looking around, she was impressed by what she found. An open kitchen looked into the open living room-esque area. It had a couch and a tv even. Olesya almost felt like she was walking into someone else's house, it was kind of weird, but then again, they wouldn't have shoved this experiment onto them if they were just going to give them straw mats and a dirt floor right? Walking over to the couch she set down Maddie's bag, looking over to Jon and Maddie, who was tugging on the white haired boy's ponytail. "Me down, me down!" She wriggled, wanting to get free and run about like any child in a new situation._

_Olesya just grinned, leaning to peer into the hallway that led to the rest of the apartment. 1, 2, 3 doors...a bathroom and two rooms? ... It was then that she saw a note on the coffee table, instructing that yes, there were two rooms in this abode (what, were they expecting 5 stars?), but that the couch in fact folded out into a rather comfortable full size bed. That put the pillar a little more at ease, because though she and Nazi-boy would be acting as a psuedo-family to the little red haired girl, she was certain they would come to blows if they had to fight over a room._

_"Me down, me down!"_ "Hahaha... jajajaja, alright, alright." the German laughed, crouching down, wincing every now and then at the pain of having his hair being pulled at. Ah... he was quickly to learn he was a push over when it came to kids, but---well, something to be covered at another time. However, he didn't know that the couch was a 'pull-out'. Standing himself up, and brushing himself off, watching as Maddie would run off, he'd look about. This was definitely a very nice set up. Just... too few rooms. Two. And a couch. Like he'd sleep on there... "...Vell, I guess ve'll have to get used to sleeping vith each other.---Kidding. I got dibz on floor."---Of course, it was then that he'd walk over to look over her shoulder and read the detailing info---"Oh." He'd step back, a bit embarrassed, but laugh it off. Then cut it short, since he realized that this was with... "Olesya" as she apparently was. Oh well. The smile faded, but his previous unhappiness returned for a moment, his eye watching about to see if Maddie was watching, in which case, he'd let a little smile slip onto his face, as he was feeling multiple things at the time, sincerity guaranteed. But he wasn't about to be a spoil sport. Looking over at Olesya, perhaps a bit more frostily than usual, he'd go over and heft up their luggage. "Alight, vell... you should... probably go und play vith her. She needs both parental figures vith her to get ze full experience, ja? I'll go set up for our room's accommodations..." Like set up the beds, extend the couch---and when no one was looking, pop in 'The Grinch Who Stole Christmas', and make some hot chocolate. _x

_When the German boy said that they would just have to get used to sleeping together her eyes widened and her bottom lip dropped slightly in what could only be ascertained to mild shocked horror, her imagination running away with the awkwardness. When he then looked over her shoulder to the letter in her hands with a slight 'oh.', she blinked, breaking from her spell. But it appeared as though he had broke from his too, his words and composure turning frosty again. She noticed it in his eyes first, well, eye. The look he gave her, and she frowned slightly when he spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly. Not at his words, but how he said them.. "I'll have the couch." She replied just as icily, dropping the note back onto the table, and walking off down the hall where Maddie had run off to. She found her in the farther room down the hall, following the sounds of laughter. The little red head was jumping up and down on the bed in there, completely amused. A smile broke out on her face and she slipped off her shoes as she reached the bed, climbing up to join her. "There you are, silly." This delighted the five year old, who simply bounced with more vigor. If she had been doing this at the orphanage, she would have certainly been yelled at._

...Decidedly, he left the room those two were in, leaving Maddie's bag by the door. But in the kitchen, he was already in full blast. Three cups of cocoa, three marshmallows, three paper towels folded accordingly into little squares. Working his way into the fridge, he began to fry six slices of bread, adding tomato, thin slices of cheese and salami, a bit of tomatoes, some light lettuce... And pulling into his briefcase, he pulled out a few movies, and set them aside at the TV. He'd work to arrange things... And give himself time to think as to why he didn't like Olesya. It was like this with most women, so it wasn't surprising---Actually, he fell into the answer, but decided not to admit it to himself. At the end it though, there was nothing left to do except set up Maddie's room. To in which case... if those two were still jumping on it, he'd grab a few things... "...Alright, alright... time to settle down, mateys... 'Ve gotz to set up Pirate Maddie's quarters, ja?" tossing up a pillow in the hopes of start to set up the bed---that would evidentially smash into Olesya's face. O_X---OH SHI-

_The two girls ended up bouncing for a good five-ten minutes, giggling and smiling. Olesya hadn't jumped on a bed since she and her siblings were young, and she had always loved to play with them. The jumping ultimately resulted in a tickle fight, and when Jon walked in they were in the midst of an active battle. '...Alright, alright... time to settle down, mateys... __'Ve gotz to set up Pirate Maddie's quarters, ja?' "Party pooper." Olesya sat up and crossed her arms over her chest, her little counterpart following suit._

_"Yeah, Party Booper." However, when she turned her head to look at him, a pillow came flying at her face, colliding and plopping into her lap. The junior blinked, unsure about what just happened. She looked from the pillow to Jon and back again, confused as to the reasoning of this. She resisted the urge to throw it back at him, as it would not be a good example for the little girl, who was watching them. She set the pillow down and got to her feet, looking to Maddie._

_"Alright let's get set up, where's Teddy?"_

_Maddie gasped, her eyes lighting up. "I'll get him!" And dashed from the room._

_Once the girl left, Olesya picked up the pillow and threw it hard at Jon's stomach. "What was that for?!" She hissed, trying to keep her voice low for Maddie's sake. Voices carried after-all._

*OOF* "Nize... throw..." the German replied as Maddie had finally left. He was finally recovered, but... even then, that was a lot of strength. "What was that for?!"---Eesh. The German, opposing his instinct to cower a woman's wrath decidedly took the unwise route of glaring back at her. He wasn't in the mood to cow down and say "It vas an accident!"---Instead... he'd just glare back... and lightly state something just barely above a whisper... Pause... "Hot..."

"...Chocolate."

...No, not even the German understood what he meant by that. Or maybe he did. Or at least slightly did. At any rate, he began to go about to setting up the room. This wasn't going to end well, if this kept up. He knew that. But he'd have to figure both her and himself out if they were to survive the week. Until then... he reached into his pocket and slipped in something black... and chewed on it.---What? He was hungry and he grabbed it on his way out of his "house," if you will.

_Olesya returned his glare, waiting for his frosty retort but instead his response caused her to stare at him with a look she would soon identify as utter bewilderment. Hot chocolate..!? Wtf. Though, truth be told, he had effectively ended the argument there as Olesya was temporarily dumbfounded. When she found her words again, befuddled as they were, the eloquent choice of words to sprout from her mouth would be "You're mental."And shaking her head, she moved to help set up. As she did so, she spilled her phone out of her pocket and dialed her sister's cellphone, cradling her own phone between her ear and her shoulder as she made the tousled up bed. "Gab, hey it's me. Listen, could you pack up about a week's worth of my clothing and stuff? No, not my guitar. I have a bag under my bed. What? No, I'm not going to Emily's again, its a social experiment th- Yeah the orphan thing. Cept this year its different and I'm stuck playing mommy on my own this week. Well not on my own, there's this kid...yes it's a boy. What?! NO." Her face flushed at the muffled words coming from the phone. "I'm on 5th, just down from the orphanage. 201B. Yes please. Thank you! Love you bye." Uncradling the phone from her shoulder it slid down her arm and she caught it, flipping it shut. Gabri would be bringing her things to the apartment, it would save her a trip across town. Olesya picked up a pillow from the floor that had fallen during playtime and fluffed it up, placing it at the head of the bed._

He was happy that the best that was thrown at him was simply "You're mental," seeing as how that wasn't really an inaccurate statement. However, he ignored most of the cellphone chatter.---Except at the sudden outburst. From which he could figure, at the last bit, he made sure to look away. Not just for her sake, but his own. He had to put up a stiff stop to his mouth, as she went onto slowly help him arrange the room, but at the end of it was only curious as to what was taking Maddie such a long time. Part of him instinctively thought to going after her, but---*RIIIIIINGGG*---Ah... right. The sandwiches. "I'll be back." he muttered, unconsciously adding an Arnold Schwarzenegger tone to it, and ran out. If he passed by Maddie he'd wave, with a "Oh, haiyo! Just getting our grub, matey, heh!"

_Olesya quirked an eyebrow as something ringed in the apartment somewhere and Jon excused himself with a cheesy Arnold Schwarzenegger line. Shrugging, she made to finish getting things set, and opened the window a crack because it was rather warm in the room, or maybe it was just her. Either way, the slight breeze was nice._

_Maddie, who had run out to grab Teddy, had lost interest in her room and was playing with Teddy at the coffee table, the letter that had been on the table was inexpertly folded in half and seemed to be a letter that postman Teddy was sending to imaginary places on either side of the table. When she saw Jon come out she looked up, smiling and dropping Teddy and the paper back onto the table and running into the kitchenette. "Grub?" She asked, struggling to climb up onto one of the two tall seat-backed stools that sat at the island so she would see what he was doing. "What is grub, Jonny? Eh...up! Please."_

Walking in past Maddie, he'd stop up. "What is grub, Jonny? Eh...up! Please." Oh... heck... "...Alright, alright... little fraulen..." he'd smile. Bending about, he reached, and hugged her to him, shifting her about so he could sit her on his left arm, and keep his right arm free. Grabbing an oven mitt and fitting it on one-handed, he'd use his right arm to open the oven, while shifting Maddie away on himself, so she wasn't caught by the light blast of hot air from it. Reaching down and getting out the metal holder, he'd reach up and put the cooked sandwiches on the top of the oven, getting out plates and glasses. His restaurant skills coming in handy, he jostled Maddie a little bit, smiling at her. "Alright... vell, vat vould you like to drink? Apple juice, orange juice, milk, water, chocolate milk... cider... or... already prepared hot cocoa vith a marshmellow?" he said, looking at the counter on the opposite side of the kitchen. Putting the sandwiches on the plates, and still holding Maddie to him, so she could rest on his shoulder if she wanted to, he'd begin setting up the table, putting up forks, knives, the mugs of hot chocolate, the sandwiches... Granted, he still had to learn a lot about five-year olds and dealing with them, so he hoped he wasn't rushing things, or forgetting something important...

_Maddie grinned as Jon picked her up, she didn't normally get the privilege of being carried at the orphanage, so she was milking this vacation for whatever it was worth. She watched with interest as he got things ready, blinking as she asked her what she wanted to drink, her eyes lighting up when he mentioned hot cocoa and marshmallows! "Mmm..cocoa! Pwease." She said, remembering her manners. Manners were stressed at the orphanage because they were told that rude little boys and girls did not get adopted, because mommies and daddies don't like little ones who don't mind their manners. She watched as he set everything up, fascinated by the small table and everything that was far different than what she was used to._

_Olesya walked out into the kitchen, drawn in by the good smells of food, and took a look around before looking at Jon curiously. He was back to his warm paternal-esque figure. Wtf...he was honestly one of the most confusing people she had met thus far._

_Seeing everything set up, Maddie wriggled, wanting to get down and to her seat. "Cocoa, cocoa!" She kept saying, fixated on getting to that marshmallow before it disappeared into the chocolate._

Cocoa, cocoa!" "Hahaha... alright, alright..." smiling as he slowly crouched down to let Maddie head on. But he coached the mug to her, crouching by her, just to make sure she didn't spill any of it, or try to reach into mug for the marshmallow itself. Hot stuff... had to be careful... Still, he was happy as he was going about to do this, and even looked at Olesya, nodding backwards as a gesture have her join them. "Vell... before ve get too into zis, ve should probably have someone say grace, ja?" he'd say if Maddie had started to drink the hot chocolate, or even if she hadn't. If she hadn't, he'd settle down to a chair to the right of her, so that Olesya could sit down at the closest chair to her at the small round table. ...He hoped these kids had some sort of faith. Not that he had much of one himself (he was actually quite ignorant on it, in a lot of facets...), but once Maddie had gotten her fill, or if she just sat down, he'd wait in his own chair, 'til everyone was seated.

_Maddie poked at the marshmallow in her cup, sticking her finger in her mouth with a successful grin on her face. Olesya looked at them both, fighting the urge to smile at the ludicricy of it all, pulling back her chair and taking a seat. Maddie, seeing what the grownups were doing, plopped down in her own seat, still sucking on her finger, her wide eyes looking between them. She didn't know what grace was, at her age and they didn't really do that much at the orphanage. Some of the kids would fold their hands before bed, praying for a mommy and daddy to come for them. Olesya nodded her head at Jon at the comment, another surprise it seemed. She didn't really peg him as the grace-saying type, but then again she was realizing just how little she knew about him. "It's all yours." She said, folding her hands and resting them on the table. Maddie did the same, following her example._

"Wa---What?" Oh shit, he didn't think he'd be the one doing it. He looked at the two, waiting, getting ready. Truth be told... he never really prayed. At all. Adding that was a bit of a formality---but then, that's one of the ways he knew he knew nothing of his own faith. Not like he paraded his beliefs, but... oh, heck. He had his mother to thank for tha---...---Closing his eyes he clasped his hands together... "Unser Vater. Our father. Der Kunst in Himmel. Who art in Heaven. Vergötterten ist thine Name. Hallowed be thine name. Thine Königreich kommen. Thine kingdom come. Thine wird gemacht werden. Thine will be done. Auf der Welt, als es in Himmel ist. On Earth as it is in Heaven. Geben Sie uns diesen Tag unser tägliches Brot. Give us this day our daily bread. Und vergibt uns von unseren Eigentumsstörungen. And forgive us of our trespasses. Während wir die vergeben, die gegen uns unbefugt betreten. As we forgive those who trespass against us. Führen Sie uns nicht in Versuchung. Lead us not into temptation. Aber liefert uns von Übel. But deliver us from evil. Im Königreich für Ihre Herrlichkeit jetzt und für immer. In the kingdom for your glory, now and forever. Amen." Pause. "Und... vell, let's eat." he'd say, while gently picking up his san---ah. Napkins. Putting it back down, he stood up, and headed back into the kitchen.

_It was odd, and interesting, to hear the Lord's prayer in German as well as her native English. Another one of those "didn't-know" things she kept learning about him, and the week had just started. She picked up her sandwich and bit into it, surprised by its deliciousness. Maddie moved to pick up hers but it was too big. She frowned, turning her round eyes to Olesya. "Help? Pwease." She asked, and Olesya put down her own sandwich, picking up her knife to cut Maddie's sandwich diagonally into quarters...little triangles. Beaming, the little girl then picked up the more manageable pieces and began to eat vigorously. Olesya glanced after Jon as he disappeared back to the kitchen area before cutting up her own sandwich in the same way and eating it. She like the triangles, so sue her! Even though the day was far from over, she found herself slightly tired from chasing Maddie for a few hours. She wondered if this was how parents felt all the time, and that was probably why the required so much coffee. Children were little balls of energy. Maddie entertained the table with nonsensical stories and musings as she ate, the triangles disappearing from her plate one at a time._

Getting back, and processing out the napkins to everyone accordingly, he'd sit back and slowly take to his own sandwich. Take a bite. Wipe off his mouth. Relax. Listen to Maddie, smile. Nod appropriately. Laugh accordingly. But his eye contact casually stayed away from Olesya If/When Maddie began to settle down, he'd take to eating with a little more haste. Slowly, though, he'd stand up as he finished, looking up at those two, hunched over the table. "Anyvon up for a movie?" he'd say with that smile. Some... 'family' time, if you will.

_Dinner went smoothly enough, though the junior noticed the distinct lack of interaction between herself and Jon. She wasn't even going to worry about it right now, hardly anything the boy did made sense to her, she was just going to enjoy her sandwich and cocoa and just get this day over with. When she was a young'n, bedtime was about 8 o'clock and it was around 6 now. So a movie would be a fine settled down activity before putting her to bed. She wasn't sure how well the little one went to sleep so she didn't know whether it would be easy or a hassle. Getting up with a grin on her face, she took hers and Maddie's plates once they'd finished. "oOooh, movie time!" She chimed in, and Maddie squealed with delight. This day must seem like a child's heaven to the girl compared to her dull day to day she was used to. Bouncing from her seat, she hardly got a step away before Olesya gently caught her, having left the plates on the table and grabbed the girl's napkin, wiping her crumb covered mouth and hands before she wriggled free and ran to the living room area. Laughing and shaking her head, she then picked up the plates and headed to the kitchen._

The German paused, as Olesya moved to get the plates. Sorely had forgotten about that, and a pang of guilt caught him, but he stayed, following after Maddie. Call him super-cautious, but he was very determined to make sure this ended up being a very safe little week for the girl. Still, it already looked as though both of them had fallen into their roles for Maddie accordingly. At a very good rate just... and he admitted, this was mostly his fault, not with each other. Still, he followed, reaching the TV, and the extended and set up couch-bed, going to lift her up and onto it. Getting out a set of movies, he'd hold them out before Maddie, much akin to holding up a hand of cards. "Alright... ve've got some of ze movies vith Rudolph, Frosty ze Snowman... Santa... A Christmas Carol... Grinch movies, modern und ze cartoon... Vat vould you like, mein gut fraulen?" moving his face slowly to hers, which might be considered awkward or funny, but smiling mischievously. Still, he'd wait for Olesya to come in before he started anything though.

_Olesya set the dishes in the sink, she (or he) would wash them once they'd settled Maddie into bed. Washing her hands, she walked over to where Jon and Maddie were picking out a movie to watch. Just as she exited the kitchen area though, a knock came at the door. Gabriella. Changing her route, Olesya went to the door and opened it. A younger girl, age fourteen, stood in the doorway with a rectangular duffel bag, the kind of bag many teens used for sports, hanging on her shoulder. Unlike Olesya, her hair was long, wavy and strawberry blond. Gabri and their sister Melody had inherited their mothers light hair, while Olesya and their brother Darien inherited their father's auburn hair. She had the same crooked grin though and bright eyes. She leaned in the doorway to see the little girl and the boy, grinning devilishly and waving "Oh! So that's-!" But Olesya grabbed the bag from her, dropping it onto the floor and pushing her sister back into the hallway, glancing back with a "Hmm!" in a I'll-be-back sort of way. The door closed behind them and the muffled sound of coives could be heard. The sister's voice was slightly higher pitched than her older sister's, though they both tended to have the same speed and up and down pitch. After a minute, Olesya reappeared sans-sister, closing the door behind her and picking up her duffel bag. She walked over to where Jon and Maddie we, setting her bag down by the couch and sitting down next to Maddie, who was picking each of the movies one-by-one and holding them in her lap and shuffling through them. Eventually she picked one and held it out to Jon, the Christmas Carol._

"Ahh... old Ebeneezer... alright, gut choice, gut choice!" he practically laughed, casting out a strange smile and an odd look at Olesya, as she went in and out and in again with a girl he'd never seen before. However, he was too occupied with Maddie to take note of whether or not they were sisters or no, and would wait for Olesya and Maddie to get into the bed as well. Popping in the movie, he'd stand back and make sure that everything was alright. If Olesya tried to take her stuff to a room or try to begin setting up her stuff, though, he'd look at Maddie, do a slight poke at her nose, smile, and say, "Be right back..." before heading up to Olesya, lean in, whisper "...After she's asleep. I'll help you---She needs both figures vith her to get ze best experience, ja?"---But if Olesya out and joined them, then he'd stay where he was, and lay back on one side of the couch, keeping Maddie in the middle, so Olesya could be on the other side. Ruffle up the blanket on all of them, so they could watch the movie. A good old movie about Scrooge---but he hoped that this wasn't the movie that depicted the ghosts that visited Scrooge as too scary.

_She wasn't going anywhere yet, after all she had said she was sleeping out here. Settling in next to Maddie, she turned her attention to the movie that had begun to play. It appeared to be the Disney one where Scrooge was played by Donald Duck's uncle Whats-his-face, the one with the giant bank in the regular films, and poor Mickey Mouse worked in the cold building to make enough money for his large family, that included little Tiny Tim. That little guy had always been her favorite, though in a sad way. Watching this movie sure brought back the memories, and Maddie seemed to enjoy it, giggling at the funny parts and gasping in the surprising or slightly shocking ones...and drifted off somewhere between ghost of Christmas present and Christmas yet-to-come. When the credits rolled, Olesya looked down to where Maddie was fast asleep, her thumb in her mouth. She glanced up at Jon, unsure how to get the girl to her room or even to move her in the first place. "So..what now?" She asked in a hushed voice, regarding the little girl._

The movie was... nostalgic. American culture. Still bits and pieces to learn, but he'd managed to transition well enough. What he saw, he compared and looked at his own life. He hadn't even noticed that Maddie had fallen off to Sleep World. Then, the movie was over. He glanced up, over to Olesya, their eyes meeting. "So..what now?" He paused, face not smiling, but because he was tired. He thought for a bit. Then looked down at Maddie, and smiled a bit more. "Just sleep... ve'll take care of your stuff in ze morning. Don't zink she's gotten too many chances to cuddle vith a mutter [Translation: Mother] often, ja?" For himself... well, he stood up, and popped the movie out, moving as quietly as he could, doing the subtle heel-toe movement. Putting the movie back in its container, he stood up and began to walk to his own room.---Then go about and check all the windows, turn off the lights, check the locks... It wasn't that late, granted, but little miss Maddie was a ton of energy to expend oneself on. When he went into his darkened room a second time, he came back out with a blanket and a pillow, and began to set himself down on floor, as he said he would.---Unless Olesya went to get up herself... in which case, he'd probably act accordingly, depending on what she did.

_She could easily have slipped into the room that had been set up for Maddie, but when Jon brought up the comment about a mother figure (or *mutter,* wtf German speak), it melted her heart a little. She could recall the times as a small child she would like to snuggle in between her parents if she was having a bad dream and how happy and safe it had made her feel. Carefully slipping out of bed, she reached into her duffel bag for pajamas and disappeared to the bathroom to change, reappearing in a moment in a pair of sweats and a beaters. She placed her clothes on top of her bag to take care of in the morning, slipping back under the covers of the pull out couch as Jon reappeared with a pillow and blanket...to sleep on the floor? "Is no one sleeping in the bedrooms then?" She asked, confused and unexplainably amused. It was another one of those things._

...He perhaps, wasn't the best model when it came to hygiene. Looked like he was just going to sleep in those clothes he'd started this day in, but he didn't mind. And the floor... well... "Is no one sleeping in the bedrooms then?" The German had to stifle a rather loud laugh, shaking roughly, some short rapid bursts of air going out of his nose to make for silent laughter. "...Ja... I guess not." Stretching a little bit on there, he looked up at the ceiling. The reason why he had been acting colder to Olesya had drawn off into multiple reasons, but some actually had good justifications. For one... they weren't married. And that much bothered him enough at least, to while acting as a 'parent' for Maddie, to at least set up some sort of boundary. Unless Olesya would say something else from, there, then he'd just fall off, and drift into sleep---Or stay into the ceiling for a while and think in silence for a while, before falling to asleep at around 11 o' clock. Three hours later.

_An involuntary smile worked its way onto her features at his affirmation. This certainly wasn't anything she had expected, and as for him, well...she didn't even know what to think about him. He was alternately frosty and ridiculously silly and efficient. Nothing he did made sense to her, though it would probably be something she would figure out as the week panned out. But one thing was for sure, he certainly wasn't the same person she had thought he was back at the skate park. And she also liked the lack of the swastika on his eye patch. It was just a small thing, but that alone almost made him more...human. He was becoming less Nazi-boy and more...she wasn't sure what. Exhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and drifted off, aware of the presence of a stuffed bear and smaller for pressed into her one side. Throughout the night, the girl would inch unconsciously closer, and by the time the sun beamed through the window, Maddie was snuggled right up to Olesya's side, and her arm was looped lightly around her, her other arm up up over her own head and curled._


End file.
